I was watching Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the over-the-top Foreign Minister of Pakistan at his theatrical best during the joint press conference with his US counterpart recently that the memories of my childhood’s multi-coloured umbrella came rushing in! I smiled, and soon started laughing! It was such a sweet memory, after all :)
I remember I had just started going to school. My parents gifted me a beautiful multi-coloured umbrella. And I instantly fell in love with it. My attachment became so ardent with that little piece of my initial few possessions that it almost became a part of me, my identity. And, if my mother did not bring that umbrella to the near-by bus stop, rain-or-no-rain, sun-or-no-sun, I would stubbornly refuse to walk back home. My obsession with my umbrella soon spread far and wide!
And my umbrella's story reached the ears of my self-styled competitor – yes, a trait so rare at that tender age! - in our immediate neighbourhood where lived a girl little elder to me. That girl had to have everything – yes, everything – which I had: be it dresses or toys or books or … yes, you guessed it right … an umbrella, too!
That girl created a huge fuss and pressured her parents in to buying almost a same umbrella for her! …
So, now you understand why I remembered my beautiful childhood umbrella watching Shah Mehmood Qureshi at his theatrical best in the US?
Well, while S. M. Qureshi’s attempts were quite hilarious and with his antics he had apparently succeeded in amusing Hillary Clinton – though only superficially - the Pakistani Foreign Minister was desperately trying to appease Madame Secretary for getting America to agree to an India-like civil nuclear deal for Pakistan too.
Now you see the connection between the India-US-Pakistan triangular relationship and my childhood umbrella?
In the not-so-easy geopolitical equations between India-US-Pakistan, Pakistan is that little spoilt girl from my neighbourhood who wanted everything that I had as a child, including an umbrella!
Well, on an adult-like serious note, I am sure that the Obama administration is not so naïve to give in to the obsessive demands of Pakistan, ranging from F-16s to military arsenals to monetary aids to civil nuclear deal; anyway, most of which are likely to be aimed against India in all probability. The US establishment understands all too well that Pakistan is a rogue state and is the epicenter of spread of terrorism in the world today. Howsoever crucial Pakistan’s role the US may deem to be in resolving the ever escalating Afghanistan conflict as an important component of its Af-Pak strategy for the crisis-ridden region, it will not let an almost failed nation get access to nuclear energy technology whose usage – abuse – it cannot guarantee for civil purposes exclusively. It would be akin to giving WMDs in hands of a Demon! Pakistan’s repeated proclaims of not being in control of its non-state actors – terrorists, extremists, fundamentalists – go absolutely against its own arguments to secure a favourable nuclear deal – India-like - from its otherwise old ally, the United States of America.
Therefore, India need not worry at all.
Nevertheless, at the end, I must thank Mr. Qureshi for taking me back on my memory lane and let me cherish in my thoughts my beautiful little multi-coloured umbrella!
(The umbrella is still secured at home – though now tattered and faded – along with few other valuables from my childhood.)
………………..
Watching Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s theatrics also reminded me of an age-old adage about “Politics Being the Theatre of the Absurd”! He for sure was an absurdist personified that afternoon!
I remember I had just started going to school. My parents gifted me a beautiful multi-coloured umbrella. And I instantly fell in love with it. My attachment became so ardent with that little piece of my initial few possessions that it almost became a part of me, my identity. And, if my mother did not bring that umbrella to the near-by bus stop, rain-or-no-rain, sun-or-no-sun, I would stubbornly refuse to walk back home. My obsession with my umbrella soon spread far and wide!
And my umbrella's story reached the ears of my self-styled competitor – yes, a trait so rare at that tender age! - in our immediate neighbourhood where lived a girl little elder to me. That girl had to have everything – yes, everything – which I had: be it dresses or toys or books or … yes, you guessed it right … an umbrella, too!
That girl created a huge fuss and pressured her parents in to buying almost a same umbrella for her! …
So, now you understand why I remembered my beautiful childhood umbrella watching Shah Mehmood Qureshi at his theatrical best in the US?
Well, while S. M. Qureshi’s attempts were quite hilarious and with his antics he had apparently succeeded in amusing Hillary Clinton – though only superficially - the Pakistani Foreign Minister was desperately trying to appease Madame Secretary for getting America to agree to an India-like civil nuclear deal for Pakistan too.
Now you see the connection between the India-US-Pakistan triangular relationship and my childhood umbrella?
In the not-so-easy geopolitical equations between India-US-Pakistan, Pakistan is that little spoilt girl from my neighbourhood who wanted everything that I had as a child, including an umbrella!
Well, on an adult-like serious note, I am sure that the Obama administration is not so naïve to give in to the obsessive demands of Pakistan, ranging from F-16s to military arsenals to monetary aids to civil nuclear deal; anyway, most of which are likely to be aimed against India in all probability. The US establishment understands all too well that Pakistan is a rogue state and is the epicenter of spread of terrorism in the world today. Howsoever crucial Pakistan’s role the US may deem to be in resolving the ever escalating Afghanistan conflict as an important component of its Af-Pak strategy for the crisis-ridden region, it will not let an almost failed nation get access to nuclear energy technology whose usage – abuse – it cannot guarantee for civil purposes exclusively. It would be akin to giving WMDs in hands of a Demon! Pakistan’s repeated proclaims of not being in control of its non-state actors – terrorists, extremists, fundamentalists – go absolutely against its own arguments to secure a favourable nuclear deal – India-like - from its otherwise old ally, the United States of America.
Therefore, India need not worry at all.
Nevertheless, at the end, I must thank Mr. Qureshi for taking me back on my memory lane and let me cherish in my thoughts my beautiful little multi-coloured umbrella!
(The umbrella is still secured at home – though now tattered and faded – along with few other valuables from my childhood.)
………………..
Watching Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s theatrics also reminded me of an age-old adage about “Politics Being the Theatre of the Absurd”! He for sure was an absurdist personified that afternoon!
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